Julia Childs Candied Citrus Peel Recipes

JULIA CHILD'S CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• With a vegetable peeler, carefully remove the zest from the lemons without getting any of the white pith included. Cut them into julienne strips 1 1/2 inches long and less than 1/8 inch wide.
• In 1 quart of water, simmer the zests for 6 minutes, then drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
• Bring the 1/3 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan and add the sugar, stirring until completely dissolved.
• Cover the pan tightly and, as Julia says, "boil for a moment or two, until the last drops of syrup to fall from the end of a metal spoon form a thread." (This part of Julia's recipe is, I understand, a little vague. Yet sometimes cooking requires the actual experience to really know, and perhaps this is one of those times.).
• Remove saucepan from the heat, stir in the peel and let steep for an hour.
• Use in the "Fresh Lemon Sherbet" recipe or store in the refrigerator in a covered jar where it will keep for weeks.
• Makes one batch of candied zests for the 12 servings of sherbet.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut fruit into quarters; peel the rind (peel!) off. Cut peel into desired shape; make all the pieces the same so they cook the same.
• Put peel piece into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil, drain and repeat.
• Repeat step #2 two more times.
• After the third boil, leave peel in the strainer.
• Put 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water into the saucepan and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup into the sauce pan. Bring saucepan to a simmer on medium heat, add peel. If you're not using corn syrup, you will need to put the lid on the pan to simmer it for 6 minutes before continuing. Let it cook, uncovered, at a rolling simmer until it is done. For hard-ish candy, cook until the liquid is almost gone, and for chewy candy cook until only 3-5 spoonfuls of liquid is left.
• Put peels into strainer and let cool until you can touch it.
• Put peels into a bowl, add some sugar, and toss them together. Toss every 15 minutes until really cool and the candy is coated with sugar.
• For best results, spread the candy on racks to dry. For harder candy, cook it and dry it for longer, for soft and almost chewy candy, cook and dry it less.
• Store candy in airtight containers. If you store them in the fridge they will seem very hard- but only because they are cold!

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Quarter fruit lengthwise and remove peel (including white pith) in 1 piece from each quarter, reserving fruit for another use.
• Cut peel lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips (if using grapefruit, cut peel in half crosswise first). Put peel in a large bowl and cover with cold water, then soak 1 hour. Drain in a colander.
• Blanch peel:
• Transfer peel to a wide 4- to 6-quart heavy pot. Add cold water to cover by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, then drain in colander. Repeat blanching process 2 more times. Cover peel once more with cold water and simmer until skin side is tender, about 30 minutes, then drain in colander.
• Cook peel in syrup:
• Return pot to stovetop and add 6 cups sugar and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Wash down any sugar crystals clinging to side of pot with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Add food coloring (if using) and boil syrup, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 220°F on thermometer, about 30 minutes. Add peel and simmer over low heat until translucent, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
• Return syrup with peel to a boil and boil, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 226°F on thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
• Return syrup to a boil once more and boil, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 228°F on thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
• Dry and coat peel:
• Reheat syrup with peel over low heat just until syrup has liquefied (peel will have absorbed most of syrup), then drain peel in colander. Immediately spread peel, separating pieces, on 2 metal racks set in 2 shallow baking pans and dry, uncovered, until just barely sticky, 8 to 24 hours.
• Spread 1/2 cup of remaining sugar on a plate and roll each piece of peel in sugar to coat well, then transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Add more sugar as needed to coat remaining peel. (Pour sugar through a medium-mesh sieve occasionally to remove bits of peel and clumps of sugar.) Dry sugared peel on wax paper 1 hour.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of grapefruits, oranges, or lemons. Following curve of fruit, cut away outermost peel, leaving most of the white pith on fruit. Slice peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• In a medium pot of boiling water, cook peel until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer peel to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer to dry slightly, about 15 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel and boil until it turns translucent and syrup thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer peel to wire rack, separating the pieces as needed.
• Let peel dry 1 hour. Toss with 1/2 cup sugar to coat.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut the fruit into 8 wedges, then cut out the flesh, leaving about 5mm thickness of peel and pith. Cut each wedge into 3-4 strips.
• Put the peel in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Drain, return to the pan and re-cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins.
• Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the peel, reserving the cooking water. Add 100g sugar to each 100ml water you have. Pour into a pan and gently heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peel and simmer for 30 mins until the peel is translucent and soft. Leave to cool in the syrup, then remove with a slotted spoon and arrange in 1 layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Put in the oven at the lowest setting for 30 mins to dry.
• Sprinkle a layer of sugar over a sheet of baking parchment. Toss the strips of peel in the sugar, a few at a time, then spread out and leave for 1 hr or so to air-dry.
• Pack the peel into an airtight storage jar or rigid container lined with baking parchment. Will keep for 6-8 weeks in a cool, dry place.
• To make into a delicious gift, melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Dip the candied orange peel into the chocolate to half-coat them, shaking off the excess. Put them on baking parchment to set, then pack into small cellophane bags tied with ribbon or pretty kitchen string.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Place peel strips in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes longer. Drain. Repeat this process two more times.
• In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and 1/4 cup water over high heat until boiling. Place peel in sugar mixture, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove peel with slotted spoon and dry on wire rack overnight. Store in airtight container.

JULIA CHILD'S SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients well.
• Store in a screwtop glass jar.
• (I use a funnel to get the spices in the jar).